Zandra Rhodes - Biography - IMDb Zandra Rhodes Jump to: Overview (2) | Mini Bio (1) | Trivia (5) Overview (2) Zandra Lindsey Rhodes Mini Bio (1) Zandra Rhodes was born on September 19, 1940 in Chatham, Kent, England as Zandra Lindsey Rhodes. She is known for her work on The British Guide to Showing Off (2011), The Culture Show: Rankin Shoots Rembrandt (2014) and Freddie Mercury, the Untold Story (2000). Trivia (5) She was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1997 Queen's Honours List for her services to fashion. Chancellor for the University of Creative Arts (2010). Wears her hair in a variety of lurid colors, most recently, pink (2010). Rhodes designed for Diana, Princess of Wales, and continues to design for royalty and celebrities. She notably designed several of famous costumes for Freddie Mercury of Queen.

She was awarded Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours List for her services to British Fashion and Textiles. She is a fashion designer in London, England. See also 1000+ images about Designers - Zandra Rhodes on Pinterest | Cactus, British and UX/UI Designer What a unique look of Zandra Rhodes! Colorful, theatriacal, and a little bit scary to me! See more designer Tom Ford Tom Ford was born in Austin, Texas in 1962, but spent most of his childhood years in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Tom Ford enrolled on an art history course at New York University and was also trained as an actor. It was there he discovered the seminal Studio 54 nightclub and Warhol’s Factory, where he met pop artist Andy Warhol for the first time. Tom Ford studied interior architecture at Parsons School of Design in New York. He later moved on to finish his studies at Parsons in Paris, France. By the end of the course Ford realised that he wanted to work in fashion. As soon as his studies were completed in 1986, Ford quickly returned to New York where he began his professional training.

In 1990 after moving to Paris, Ford was hired by Gucci’s then creative director Dawn Mello (previous head of purchase with Bergdorf-Goodman) as chief women’s ready-to-wear designer. A few years passed, and in 1992, he moved up the corporate ladder of the fashion world and once again took on the role of Design Director. Business went bad for Gucci and Tom Ford was almost fired by Maurizio Gucci in 1993, but this was counteracted by Domenico de Sole, director of Gucci America Inc. Tom brings a hard-edged look synonymous with 21st-century glamour to his clothes. In 2000, the Gucci group added Yves Saint Laurent to their stable and, unsurprisingly, Tom’s first collection for the French label was a study in black and white. In that year, Ford was named Best International Designer at the first VH1/Vogue Awards in New York. “I am a perfectionist,” declared Tom Ford. “This job is a total ego thing in a way.

To be a designer and say, ‘This is the way people should dress, this is the way their homes should look, this is the way the world should be.’ But then, that’s the goal: world domination through style.” He made profits soar at Gucci, which was faltering when he took over. During this year there seems to have been some disagreement between Yves St. Laurent and Tom Ford about the way YSL was proceeding. This led to the resignation of Yves St. Laurent in January 2002 from the company he had built. Gucci bought out YSL Rive Gauche and appointed Tom Ford to take up the design responsibilities of YSL Ruve Gauche ready-to-wear. In November 2003 it was announced that Tom and chief executive Domenico De Sole would be leaving the Italy brand in 2004 “with great sadness” but Ford said he was “confident that we are leaving behind one of the strongest teams in the industry.” Then in March 2004, he presented his last collections for YSL Rive Gauche and Gucci, amid very emotional farewells. Both collections were smash hits.

Celebrity fans of Ford’s style include Madonna, Bianca Jagger and Trudie Styler (“Well, he’s perfect, isn’t he? He’s like Sting, he doesn’t do small talk. He doesn’t always give very much of himself, so you want more.”). But Ford’s ultimate sign of approval came from his mother, who was heard to demand her YSL discount card after watching his first runway show for the house. As the first major initiative, this company has now collaborated with cosmetics giant Estée Lauder to create beauty products and fragrances. No financial figures have been revealed about the deal. We saw the beauty line and sunglasses by the end of 2005, also a woman’s fragrance ‘Amber N.de’ and ‘Youth Dew’. Then Ford announced a return to fashion with a signature ready-to-wear men’s line. The clothing line, which will be produced by European manufacturer Ermenegildo Zegna,cater to a high-end clientele, with a men’s suit fetching upwards of $2,000. Starting from Madison Ave, Manhattan, there are now stores across the world.

Tom Ford sells Andy Warhol self portrait In 2010 Ford sold his Andy Warhol self portrait for a staggering $32 million having paid just $15 million for it a few years earlier. Meanwhile, Ford has made a seamless transition to filmmaker with A Single Man, the soulful, immaculately styled story of a grieving college professor in 1960s California. The ultra-confident Ford never doubted his abilities — though he admits plenty of other people did. “It’s funny, because everyone was so supportive,” Ford said. “And now that I’ve made the film, quite a few people have said to me, ‘Isn’t it nice you did that when everyone was laughing at you?'” Betty Jackson designer MBE Betty Jackson was born in Bacup, Lancashire in 1949 and since then has gone on to become an internationally renowned fashion designer. After studying for a degree in fashion and textiles at Birmingham College of Art her career went from strength to strength. In 1975 she started work as the chief designer at the fashion collective Quorum alongside design legends Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell.

Jackson eventually branched out and launched her own collection in 1981, with her husband and business partner David Cohen. Just four years later she had been given the prestigious title of British Designer of the Year. In 1987 her contribution to the fashion world was recognised again when she was rewarded with an MBE, (member of the British empire). Her designs ooze feminity and over the years she has continued to produce designs which mix style with high fashion. Her clothes are renowned for being flattering and wearable. Not just made for the six foot girls that model them Betty Jackson clothes are said to ‘liberate the female form’. In the year 2000 Jackson’s designs became even more accessible when she was selected by Marks and Spencer to design their ‘Autograph’ collection. Each year Jackson creates two main collections which are previewed on the catwalk at London Fashion Week. Each outfit is complemented by a range of accessories. Jackson also has two diffusion ranges ‘BJ Accessories’ and ‘BJ Knits’. These collections include knitwear line, mail order capsule collection of clothes, accessories and home wear. Today you will find Betty Jackson clothes everywhere from designer outlets in London to as far afield as Japan.

Also in Debenhams Designer Range since 2005, under “Betty Jackson Black” Dame Vivienne Westwood The most eccentric and influential of Britain’s fashion designers who puts out on the runway the most amazing and spectacular clothes. Her Logo is a royal ORB with a cross on top, bejewelled and impressive as befits the Queen of British fashion. In 1941, Vivienne Swire was born in Derbyshire, England. Her father was a shoemaker and her mother a cotton weaver. When she was 16, her family moved to London and Vivienne attended the Harrow School of Art. After spending just one term there, she left to become a primary school teacher. She met her first husband Derek Westwood in 1962, they have a son Ben. In 1965, she met flamboyant, Malcolm McLaren who became her business partner. In 1971. together with McLaren, she started up a shop called “Let it Rock” on London’s trendy Kings Road.

At a time when the hippy movement was in full swing and Rock ‘n’ Roll was not even played on the radio, they sold Fifies Rock ‘n’ Roll records and memorabilia as well as stock of Fifties inspired designs. In 1974 the couple opened another boutique called “Sex” selling pornographically printed T-shirts and garments with sexual slogans printed on them. In 1976 Punk style is born with the band the Sex Pistols who play their first gig wearing clothes from the shop at 430 Kings Road which has by now been renamed Seditonaries. The clothes represented the culmination of the ideas that had pervaded Vivienne Westwood’s work up to that time. Zips, rips, chains, bondage, porn and slogans all featured to give a look that would have a revolutionary impact on high fashion still felt to this day. In 1981 The ‘Pirate’ collection was Vivienne Westwood’s first runway show presented at Olympia in London in March 1981. She is no longer solely interested in youth and street culture but also in tradition and technique.

She begins her technical research into historical dress with this collection, adopting and reinterpreting original cutting principles into her patterns and making them modern. The shop at 430 King’s Road is once again redecorated and renamed World’s End, which it remains to this day. The collection includes asymmetric tee-shirts, petti-drawers, pirate shirts and breeches in rich brocades and ikat fabric. In 1983 her collaboration with Malcolm Mclaren ends. In 1987, Ten years on from 1977 and punk rock, Vivienne Westwood returns to the London catwalks after an absence of five years to show her ‘Harris Tweed’ collection. This collection is inspired by the look of the Queen, Elizabeth II, in her teenage years. She had already been the object of Westwood’s attention in 1977 when she adorned tee-shirts sporting a safety pin through her nose. In 1989 John Fairchild, President of Fairchild Publications and Editor of the fashion bible Women’s Wear Daily, rates Vivienne Westwood in his book ‘Chic Savages’ one of the six best designers in the world, the only woman amongst them.

In 1993 Vivienne Westwood designs her own tartan for her ‘Anglomania’ collection. It is called MacAndreas after her husband, Andreas Kronthaler. Naomi Campbell famously fell on the catwalk modelling the collection. In 1999 Westwood’s first US flagship store opens in the SoHo district of New York. Her first major retrospective of her work was shown in 2004-2004 at the Victoria and Albert Museum London, and the National Gallery of Australia. The exhibition is made up of around 145 complete outfits, grouped into the themes which have dominated her work from the early 1970s to the present day and were drawn from her own personal archive and the V&A’s extensive collection. They range from early Punk garments to glamorous ‘historical’ evening gowns. The retrospective is touring the world and is set to continue until 2008.

In September 2005, Westwood joined forces with the British Civial Rights group Liberty and launched exclusive limited design T-shirts and baby wear bearing the slogan I AM NOT A TERRORIST, please don’t arrest me Westwood accepted a DBE (Dame Commander of the British Empire) in the 2006 New Year’s Honours List “for services to fashion”, and has thrice earned the award for British Designer of the Year. Her labels Zandra Rhodes Fashion Designer Zandra Rhodes CBE RDI, was born in Chatham, Kent, UK in 1940 and introduced to the world of fashion by her mother. Her major area of study was printed textile design achieving her a National Diploma in 1960. Her early textile fashion designs were considered too outrageous by the traditional British manufacturers, so in 1969, she established her own retail outlet in the fashionable Fulham Road in West London. Zandra’s own lifestyle has proved to be as dramatic, glamorous and extroverted as her designs. With her bright green hair (later changed to a spectacular pink and sometimes a radiant red), theatrical makeup and art jewelry, she has stamped her identity on the international world of fashion.

Rhodes was one of the new wave of British designers who put London at the forefront of the international fashion scene in the 1970s. Her designs are considered clear, creative statements, dramatic but graceful, bold but feminine. Rhodes’ inspiration has been from organic material and nature. The classic garments of Zandra Rhodes from the late 60s and 70s are rapidly becoming some of the hottest collectibles on the US, Australia and UK scene. Rhodes designed for Princess Dianna, Jackie Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor and Freddie Mercury. She continues to design for royalty and celebrities. She has had many academic and professional honours bestowed upon her and was made a Commander of the British Empire in 1997. Rhodes was commissioned by the San Diego Opera to design the costumes for her first opera in 2001. She has also designed for the Houston Grand Opera and the English National Opera. Zandra Rhodes creations are sold in various shops across the world.

Carven Collection Women 2011 “Couture brought me happiness, they were the best years of my life,” Madame Carven recalls with a smile at a celebration to mark her approaching 100th birthday in 2009. A diminutive 1.55m (five foot one) in her stockinged feet, for half a century she was the favourite designer of petite women. Madame Carven French Couture Designer In recognition of her contribution to fashion and imminent birthday on Aug 31, the French Federation of Couture threw a party for her in the gardens of the Musee Galliera at the end of the haute couture shows for next winter. In 1945 Madame Carven opened her fashion house at n¡6, Rond Point des Champs Elysees in Paris. The address of this the head office has never changed. Carven have much to be proud of and has built an excellent reputation over the years dressing queens, princesses and empresses not to mention the post-war stars of the screen.

The 1950’s saw the development of Carven men with the first fashion collection of mens silk neckties and the launch of “Vetiver” perfume, still their most popular fragrance for men. This was a logical support to “Ma Griffe” a female fragrance launched in the 1940’s. Carven style was adapted for the growing airline industry of the 1960’s as the Carven Uniforms division was established and catered for numerous airlines. At this stage of its evolution Carven was able to focus on the growing market for accessories with the creation of Carven Costume jewellery. As the 1970s progressed Carven cemented its national position and pushed its boundaries internationally. Japan in particular in the early 1970’s was a strong market for Carven, with Japanese women the cut and comfort of the Carven style very much to their taste. This decade saw the launch of Carven accessories and luggage in Japan . Following the success of Carven in the 1960’s Air France asked Carven to create their uniforms. To this day, Air France personnel are still dressed by Carven, as do some French Rail Staff.

Carven in the 1980s developed licences for ready-to-wear and accessories for men and women throughout the globe. Carven diversified bringing out a line of golfwear for men and women as the sport gained popularity in France. In 1991 Carven’s Ready-to-Wear for Women, a stylish, high quality range of fashionable clothing at accessible prices was launched.At this time a restructuring of the company took place with each division coming under one central management for the first time in years. Carven possessing a culture of diversification has now has Carven’s luxury goods for the home, which includes porcelain, carpets and furniture, as well as a drinks line that includes Carven Champagne , Carven Cognac and Liqueur au Cognac . That year also, “Vetiver” repackaged and celebrating its 40th birthday. Carven Menswear opened a boutique at the Rond Point the same year and a pure gold and silver jewellery collection is launched. The 1990s saw Carven infiltrate the Asian markets with licence agreement in China , Taiwan and Vietnam .

As the 1990’s drew to a close a revival of Carven’s Haute Couture activity was well underway,as new Artistic Director, Mr Edward Achour oversaw the development of a new line of women’s ready-to-wear. Anya Hindmarch HandBag Designer Anya Hindmarch MBE has come a long way from her first store on London’s Walton Street. The Anya Hindmarch label now incorporates leather handbags, small leather goods, luggage, shoes and clothes. She was born in 1968. In 2001, Anya launched the charity promotion ‘Be a Bag’, which allows customers to have their own photographs printed onto a bag. The first Christmas season these bags were put on sale in Harrods of London – they were a complete sell out. Orders had to be turned away because the product was so popular. Be A Bag continues to be a huge success and continues to raise money for charities across the world. Everything that Anya designs is crafted with great attention to detail. After countless requests and an apprenticeship with the great shoe makers in Venice, Anya launched her shoe collection in 2002.

The Bespoke Ebury was launched to celebrate Anya Hindmarch’s tenth anniversary following visits to the Italian tanneries where leather is hand rolled in the time honoured fashion. Most recently Anya has launched her beach collection comprising beautiful hand embroidered kaftans, sexy bikinis and cute baskets for mothers and daughters. johnson banks: great british fashion stamps johnson banks: great british fashion stamps × keep up to date with recent articles and upcoming events DAILY may 15, 2012 johnson banks: great british fashion stamps johnson banks have designed a set of postage stamps that celebrate the last 60 years of british fashion. — following text from johnson banks the great british fashion stamps have been created by london-based graphic designers johnson banks, who commissioned highly respected fashion photographer sølve sundsbø to photograph 10 outfits chosen to summarise the last 60 years of british fasion. live models – as opposed to static fashion mannequins – were used to achieve dynamic postures and a sense of movement. the models had to embody the ideal silhouettes of the various fashion eras and fit perfectly into the surviving existing garments. the two-day photo shoot took place at sundsbø’s london studio.

some of the clothes were obtained directly from the designers, whilst others were sourced from specialist vintage fashion stores. johnson banks worked closely with the photographer and his assistants, stylists and hair and wig artists. following the shoot, the features of the models and the background were erased from the images in order to focus the viewer’s gaze upon each of the distinctive british fashion designs. ‘it’s hard to make clothes look interesting if no one’s wearing them,’ explains johnson banks creative director michael johnson. ‘on a tailor’s dummy they seem flat and lifeless. on the other hand, we didn’t want models or celebrities to distract from the design, which is what we are celebrating. for example, there’s a great photo of ringo starr wearing a classic tommy nutter suit in the 1970s, but you just think, ‘there’s a great photo of ringo’ and don’t look at the suit.’ johnson and co-designer kath tudball decided on a radical compromise: shoot the clothes being modelled for real but then digitally remove the faces and hands.

first, however, they had to actually get hold of the precious artefacts, which meant the long process of persuading the designers or their estates to loan them out for a few days or sourcing them from obliging vintage stores (a task that took over three months). the striking images finally came together during a two-day shoot june 2011. afterwards, judicious cropping and retouching were used to bring out the lines, textures and movement of the garments – for once, it was the clothes that were striking a pose. hardy amies sir edwin hardy amies KCVO (1909-2003) was born in maida vale. he became managing director of mayfair couture house lachesse in 1934. after world war ii he opened his own fashion business in savile row. amies was the first major european fashion designer to venture into ready-to-wear and in 1955 received a royal warrant as dressmaker to the queen. other commissions have included clothing for the 1966 england world cup squad and the 1972 GB olympic squad and the film 2001: a space odyssey.

the outfit shown on the stamp dates from the late 1940s. norman hartnell sir norman hartnell KCVO (1901-1979) was born in streatham. he opened his first couture house at 10 bruton street, mayfair in 1923. in 1940 he received a royal warrant as dressmaker to queen elizabeth, subsequently royal warrant as dressmaker to hm queen elizabeth the queen mother. a royal warrant as dressmaker to queen elizabeth II was issued in 1957. the stamp shows an outfit created by hartnell in the 1950s. granny takes a trip granny takes a trip was a boutique opened in february 1965 at 488 kings road in london’s chelsea, by nigel waymouth, his girlfriend sheila cohen and john pearse.

the shop, which was acquired by freddie hornik in 1969, remained open until the mid-70s and has been called the ‘first psychedelic boutique in groovy london of the 1960s.’ the jacket shown on the stamp was designed by john pearse using a morris & co. furniture fabric print called golden lily (1899). ossie clark (print by celia birtwell) raymond ‘ossie’ clark (1942-1996) was born in warrington, lancashire. he was a major figure in the swinging sixties scene in london and the fashion industry in that era. clark is now renowned for his vintage designs by present-day designers and compared to the 1960s fashion greats mary quant and biba. he has influenced many other designers, including yves saint laurent, anna sui and tom ford. the outfit shown on the stamp here dates from the late 1960s and features a print by celia birtwell.

tommy nutter tommy nutter (1943-1992) was born in barmouth, merionethshire. he recreated the savile row suit in the 1960s. in 1969, he joined up with edward sexton, to open nutters of saville row. nutter combined traditional tailoring skills with innovative design. his clients included mick jagger and elton john. nutter was most proud of the fact that he dressed three out of the four beatles on the cover of the LP abbey road. the suit featured on the stamp was originally designed for ringo starr and has been recreated especially for the photo shoot. jean muir jean muir, CBE, FCSD (1928-1995) was born in london. she worked briefly in a solicitor’s office before taking a stockroom job at liberty & co in 1950. despite her lack of formal art college training, she was given the opportunity to sketch in liberty’s ready-to-wear department, which led to her gaining a job as designer for jaeger in 1956.

her own label jean and jane was launched in 1962 followed by jean muir ltd. in 1966. famous clients include former muir model joanna lumley, charlotte rampling and maggie smith. the outfit featured here dates to the late 70s/early 80s. zandra rhodes zandra rhodes CBE (1940-) was born in chatham, kent. she was one of the new wave of british designers who put london at the forefront of the international fashion scene in the 1970s. her designs are considered clear, creative statements, dramatic but graceful, bold but feminine. rhodes’s inspiration has been from organic material and nature. her approach to the construction of garments can be seen in her use of reversed exposed seams and in her use of jewelled safety pins and tears during the punk era. with her bright green hair (later pink and sometimes red or other colours), theatrical makeup and art jewellery, she stamped her own clear identity on the international world of fashion. rhodes designed for diana, princess of wales, and continues to design for royalty and celebrities. she notably designed several outfits for freddie mercury.

the early 80s gold ‘royal’ dress shown here comes from zandra rhodes’s personal collection. vivienne westwood dame vivienne westwood DBE RDI (1941-) is largely responsible for bringing punk fashion into the mainstream. in the mid-1970s with malcolm mclaren, westwood created clothes drawing inspiration from bikers, fetishists and prostitutes, which mclaren sold from his kings road boutique. when mclaren became manager of the sex pistols, the band wore westwood and mclaren’s designs. the ‘punk style’ included bondage gear, safety pins, razor blades, bicycle or lavatory chains on clothing and spiked dog collars for jewellery. westwood’s work includes the adoption of traditional elements of scottish design, such as tartan fabric, and the reinterpretation of 17th-and 18th-century cloth cutting principles. her first catwalk show was presented in 1981, featuring the collaboration of westwood and mclaren. the first major retrospective of her work was shown in 2004–05 at the victoria and albert museum in london.

he 1993 harlequin dress shown here was famously modeled by naomi campbell. paul smith sir paul smith RDI (1946 -) was born in beeston, nottinghamshire. he left school at 15 with the ambition of becoming a racing cyclist. a cycling accident put an end to his cycling hopes, and during the six-month hospital stay that followed smith made some new friends. after leaving hospital he arranged to meet them at a local pub that was popular with art students. it was then that he realised he wanted to be a designer. smith took evening tailoring classes with gordon valentine tipton, who showed him how to cut cloth as well as taught him all the basics. later smith joined lincroft kilgour in savile row, where his designs were worn by celebrities, including george best. he opened his first shop in 1970. in 1976 smith’s first menswear collection was shown in paris, under the paul smith label. in 1998, he showed his first women’s collection at london fashion week.

paul smith remains fully involved in the business, designing clothes, choosing fabrics, approving the shop locations and overseeing every development within the company. he has showrooms in london, paris, milan, new york and tokyo. the suit on the stamp dates from around 2003. alexander mcqueen lee alexander mcqueen cbe (1969 – 2010) was born in lewisham, london. he was a fashion designer and couturier best known for his in-depth knowledge of bespoke british tailoring, his tendency to juxtapose strength with fragility in his collections, as well as the emotional power and raw energy of his provocative fashion shows. he worked as chief designer at givenchy from 1996 to 2001 and founded his own label under the name alexander mcqueen. his achievements have earned four british designer of the year awards (1996, 1997, 2001 and 2003), as well as the CFDA’s international designer of the year award in 2003. the piece shown on the stamp is ‘black raven’ from mcqueen’s horn of plenty 2009 collection.

andy butler I designboom The McQueen design is immense! Sean ~ Great British Fashion Designers// Sølve Sundsbø — London Design Journal May 15, 2012 Inspired by the popularity of the Mary Quant mini skirt stamp from 2009’s British Design Classics issue, the Great British Fashion issue, featuring ten of the most influential names in British fashion. Issue date 15th May 2012. In honour of Britain's Olympic and Jubilee year, the Royal Mail has unveiled a series of designer stamps to celebrate the last 60 years of British fashion. Classic designer pieces - including a tartan dress by Vivienne Westwood, a Paul Smith suit, and a gold Zandra Rhodes ballgown - have been immortalised in the stamps, captured by fashion photographer Sølve Sundsbø. Live models – as opposed to static fashion mannequins – were used to achieve dynamic postures and a sense of movement. the models had to embody the ideal silhouettes of the various fashion eras and fit perfectly into the surviving existing garments. The two-day photo shoot took place at sundsbø’s london studio.

Some of the clothes were obtained directly from the designers, whilst others were sourced from specialist vintage fashion stores. Johnson banks worked closely with the photographer and his assistants, stylists and hair and wig artists. Following the shoot, the features of the models and the background were erased from the images in order to focus the viewer’s gaze upon each of the distinctive british fashion designs. 'It's hard to make clothes look interesting if no one's wearing them' Michael Johnson - the creative director of London-based graphic designers Johnson Banks, which created the stamps - explained. 'On a tailor's dummy they seem flat and lifeless. On the other hand, we didn't want models or celebrities to distract from the design, which is what we are celebrating. For example, there's a great photo of Ringo Starr wearing a classic Tommy Nutter suit in the Seventies, but you just think, 'there's a great photo of Ringo' and don't look at the suit.' At a quick glance, these images could be the shrunken-down pages of a fashion magazine. Royal Mail intends to feature the best in postwar fashion, the clothes that have earned the UK its reputation as the creative leader in the industry.

alexander mcqueen Lee alexander mcqueen cbe (1969 – 2010) was born in lewisham, london. He was a fashion designer and couturier best known for his in-depth knowledge of bespoke british tailoring, his tendency to juxtapose strength with fragility in his collections, as well as the emotional power and raw energy of his provocative fashion shows. He worked as chief designer at givenchy from 1996 to 2001 and founded his own label under the name alexander mcqueen. His achievements have earned four british designer of the year awards (1996, 1997, 2001 and 2003), as well as the CFDA's international designer of the year award in 2003. The piece shown on the stamp is ‘black raven’ from mcqueen’s horn of plenty 2009 collection. paul smith Sir paul smith RDI (1946 -) was born in beeston, nottinghamshire. He left school at 15 with the ambition of becoming a racing cyclist.

A cycling accident put an end to his cycling hopes, and during the six-month hospital stay that followed smith made some new friends. After leaving hospital he arranged to meet them at a local pub that was popular with art students. It was then that he realised he wanted to be a designer. Smith took evening tailoring classes with gordon valentine tipton, who showed him how to cut cloth as well as taught him all the basics. Later smith joined lincroft kilgour in savile row, where his designs were worn by celebrities, including george best. He opened his first shop in 1970. in 1976 smith’s first menswear collection was shown in paris, under the paul smith label. In 1998, he showed his first women's collection at london fashion week. Paul smith remains fully involved in the business, designing clothes, choosing fabrics, approving the shop locations and overseeing every development within the company. He has showrooms in london, paris, milan, new york and tokyo. The suit on the stamp dates from around 2003.

tommy nutter tommy nutter (1943-1992) was born in barmouth, merionethshire. He recreated the savile row suit in the 1960s. in 1969, he joined up with edward sexton, to open nutters of saville row. Nutter combined traditional tailoring skills with innovative design. His clients included mick jagger and elton john. Nutter was most proud of the fact that he dressed three out of the four beatles on the cover of the LP abbey road. The suit featured on the stamp was originally designed for ringo starr and has been recreated especially for the photo shoot. vivienne westwood 1000+ images about Zandra Rhodes on Pinterest | Zandra rhodes, Chiffon gown and Evening dresses Butterfly Coat Zandra Rhodes, 1969 The Los Angeles County Museum of Art See More Zandra Rhodes - It's In The Bag! - Women Talking Zandra Rhodes - It's In The Bag!

Anonymous August 9, 2010 The invitation to afternoon tea was irresistible and I arrived to find a room decked out in attractive colours, with journalists seated around a stand-out purple sofa for the guest of honour, who arrived all pink hair and flowing gown and settled majestically amongst a selection of her latest handbags. Zandra Rhodes epitomises the successful, independent woman. The English fashion designer, founder of the Fashion and Textile Museum in London, and Chancellor of the University for the Creative Arts, is probably better known for her individual dress sense and eye-catching bold and creative fashion designs. Zandra is a London designer who put the capital at the forefront of the international fashion scene in the 1970s but it is only now that she has turned her attention to handbags. "I suppose it was always something I wanted to do but never got round to doing until now. Practicality is very much a feature. I like my bags to be roomy. I can’t fit everything into a small bag.

I favour lots of compartments to keep me organised and you can’t very easily run up and down tube stations wearing high heels, so I like to be able to carry shoes and an umbrella, as well as my usual handbag necessities. Most important for me is a shoulder strap as I like to have my arms free. "I have a good team to work with who interpret my designs well. When people see my bags they know they have the Zandra Rhodes personal touch. The beautiful pink lining, the signature ‘Rose Gold’ trimmings all help to make the range unique. The Rhodes bag is something to be treasured. I have designed bags that I will use and I hope my buyers will also want to use. "Shoes and bags are important; they always get noticed whatever you are wearing. You can lift a plain black dress with your choice of shoes, or enhance colourful garments with a co-ordinating bag” For a woman of 69 years her style is amazing. “I've never tried to fit in and being original meant I stood out,” says Zandra, who was born in September 1940 in Chatham, Kent.

Her father was a lorry driver and her mother, who introduced her to the fashion world, was a fitter in The Paris Fashion House of Worth. Zandra has also lectured at the Medway College of Art, which is where she began her studies, continuing at London’s Royal College of Art, where printed textile design was her major area. “No one would buy the fabric because the patterns were considered too extreme. To overcome this, I learned to cut the fabric myself and made dresses to show how they would look. It was then that people started to believe in the designs. Fortunately, we became more adventurous as a nation and off the back of that ‘new wave’ my popularity grew. "My mother was an amazing influence and such a talented woman, she taught me to believe in what I was doing and more importantly to believe in myself. I am still designing today because of her philosophy and it remains a craft I love” Zandra opened of her first shop with Sylvia Ayton in Fulham in 1967.

In 1995 from the sale of her house in Notting Hill and with the help of her partner, film producer Salah Hassanein, an enormous five-storey warehouse was purchased in Bermondsey, which now houses her workshop, flat, a shop and a self-funded exhibition space that became the Fashion and Textile Museum. She has always kept examples of all her fabrics and garments. "I have about 60 chests of clothes, which really should be archived” and recognised a need for her own museum of 20th century clothing and textiles. Zandra Rhodes collections are in stores and boutiques all over the world. She has designed for clients as diverse as Diana, Princess of Wales, Jackie Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor and even Freddie Mercury but her work does not stop with dresses and printed textiles. She has her own collection of jewelry, wrapping paper and china for Royal Doulton and has collaborated with MAC on a limited edition make-up range. In collaboration with Millets, she designed a matching turquoise welly and umbrella, taking them to Glastonbury with her.

"I was probably one of the few people there actually praying for rain, just so I had an excuse to bring them out!" Her unique bold prints, patterns and imaginative use of colour has given Zandra Rhodes creations a timeless quality that makes them unmistakable but what of the hair? "Pink is the easiest colour to maintain on my hair. It’s a happy colour, but not necessarily my favourite. At the very least, I'm unlikely to ever get lost in a crowd!" Neither Zandra nor her new handbags could ever be lost in a crowd.

For more information on all her products, visit her website at Poppy Watt Royal Mail celebrates great British fashion Royal Mail celebrates great British fashion 14 May 2012 Royal Mail celebrates great British fashion • Some of Britain’s most renowned fashion designers are being featured on ten new first class stamps • The stamps will be available from all Post Office Branches on 15th May • Hardy Amies, Norman Hartnell, Granny Takes a Trip, Ossie Clark, Tommy Nutter, Jean Muir, Zandra Rhodes, Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith and Alexander McQueen share a fashion showcase of stamps • The images featured on the stamps were shot by renowned fashion photographer, Sølve Sundsbø • Celebration of fashion in the UK dates back as far as 1693 with the publication of ‘Ladies Mercury’, the first ever specialist fashion magazine • Some of Britain’s most renowned fashion designers are being featured on ten new first class stamps • The stamps will be available from all Post Office Branches on 15th May • Hardy Amies, Norman Hartnell, Granny Takes a Trip, Ossie Clark, Tommy Nutter, Jean Muir, Zandra Rhodes, Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith and Alexander Mc

Queen share a fashion showcase of stamps • The images featured on the stamps were shot by renowned fashion photographer, Sølve Sundsbø • Celebration of fashion in the UK dates back as far as 1693 with the publication of ‘Ladies Mercury’, the first ever specialist fashion magazine Royal Mail is showcasing some of Britain’s world famous fashion designers and their iconic designs on ten new first class stamps.

The stamps, which go on sale on 15th May, feature some of the most influential designers to have come out of the country since World War II, proving exactly why Britain is at the forefront of world fashion design. The work of Hardy Amies, Norman Hartnell, Granny Takes a Trip, Ossie Clark with Celia Birtwell, Tommy Nutter, Jean Muir, Zandra Rhodes, Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith and Alexander McQueen showcase some of the most exciting years of British fashion. Each stamp includes prime examples of the ten designers’ work, shot especially for the issue by renowned fashion photographer, Sølve Sundsbø. These include Tommy Nutter’s suit for Beatle Ringo Starr, which was recreated especially for the shoot, and Vivienne Westwood’s 1993 Harlequin dress. When shooting the outfits that appear on the stamps Sølve Sundsbø worked with live models, but did not use their facial features, to allow the designs to speak for themselves. The shoot lasted two days, and relied on the use of the actual original clothes – either obtained directly from the designers or meticulously sourced from specialist vintage fashion stores.

Philip Parker, Royal Mail Stamps spokesperson, said: “Britain is famous around the world for the creative vision of its fashion designers, from the glamour and sophistication of Norman Hartnell, the punk influence of Vivienne Westwood, through to the world-class designs of Alexander McQueen.” “British fashion has grown to become a major national industry. It employs about a million people and contributes directly some £21 billion to the UK economy. So it is an honour to be able to pay homage to some of the designers who made the industry what it is today.” Claire Wilcox, Senior Fashion Curator at the V&A said: "The V&A has the national collection of fashion in the UK and remains a source of inspiration to many fashion designers. Britain's contribution to fashion has never been stronger. We were delighted to advise on the Royal Mail series of stamps to celebrate many of our most influential designers." Ends NOTES TO EDITORS For almost 50 years Royal Mail’s Special Stamp programme has commemorated and celebrated events and anniversaries pertinent to UK heritage and life. Today, there are an estimated 2.5 million stamp collectors and gifters in the UK and millions worldwide. Her Majesty the Queen approves all UK stamp designs before they are printed.

Stamps and stamp products are available at all Post Office branches, online at and the Royal Mail eBay shop: and from Royal Mail Tallents House (tel. 08457 641 641), 21 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB. About the designers Hardy Amies • Sir Edwin Hardy Amies was born on 17 July 1909 in Maida Vale, London and died on 5 March 2003 in Langford • In 1961 Amies made fashion history by staging the first men’s ready-to-wear catwalk show in the UK, at the Savoy Hotel in London • Amies is best known for his work for The Queen, however, his skills with languages saw him serve in the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during World War Two. Based in Belgium, he planned sabotage operations and the parachuting of agents behind enemy lines Norman Hartnell • Sir Norman Bishop Hartnell was born on 12 June 1901 in London and died on 8 June 1979 in Windsor • Hartnell designed the Queen Mother’s entire wardrobe for her 1938 royal tour.

The 30 dresses later inspired Christian Dior when he put together the flattering yet functional tailoring collection which became known as the ‘New Look’ in 1947 • Norman Hartnell once famously said: “To me, simplicity is the death of the soul” Granny Takes a Trip • In February 1966 the Granny Takes a Trip boutique was opened on King’s Road, Chelsea, by Nigel Waymouth, his girlfriend Sheila Cohen and John Pearse • In the spring of the same year, it achieved worldwide renown after being included in an edition of Time Magazine entitled “LONDON the Swinging City" • Among the first customers were the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and their Granny’s clothes can be seen on album sleeves for Revolver and Between the Buttons • The jacket featured on the stamp, which was designed by John Pearse, was worn by George Harrison in the 1960s • The shop on London’s famous King’s Road became known for its changing facade. In 1966 it featured giant portraits of Native American chiefs Low Dog and Kicking Bear. In 1967 the entire front was painted with a giant pop-art face of Jean Harlow.

That was later replaced by a 1948 Dodge saloon car which appeared to crash out from the window and onto the forecourt Ossie Clark • Clark was born Raymond Clark in Warrington, Lancashire on 9 June 1942. After evacuating with his family to Oswaldwistle in Lancashire, he gained the nickname Ossie. He died on 6 August 1996 at his flat in Holland Park, London • He was first recognised as a design talent at age 23 when British Vogue singled him out in their August 1965 issue • Clark designed many outfits for Mick Jagger, including a python skin jumpsuit worn during the Rolling Stone’s 1973 tour Tommy Nutter • Tommy Nutter was born on 17 April 1943 in Barmouth, Merioneth and grew up in Edgware, Middlesex. He died on 17 August 1992 in London • He was the first tailor on Savile Row to open his shop to passers-by.

The shop had windows when most tailoring was behind closed doors • Nutter originally started to study plumbing, then architecture before finally settling on studying tailoring at London’s now defunct Tailor and Cutter Academy • Nutter dressed three of the four Beatles for the cover of Abbey Road - George Harrison opted for a denim look. He also designed the three-piece suit that Jack Nicholson wore to play the villainous Joker in Tim Burton's 1989 "Batman" movie Alexander McQueen • Lee Alexander McQueen was born on 17 March 1969 in Lewisham, London and died on 11 February 2010 at his home in Mayfair, London • McQueen designed the cover of Icelandic singer Björk’s 1997 album Homogenic. McQueen also directed the music video for her song "Alarm Call" from the same album • McQueen served an apprenticeship with the tailors Anderson & Sheppard in Savile Row before joining Gieves and Hawkes and later, the theatrical costumiers Angels and Bermans. • He showed his MA collection in 1992, which was bought in its entirety by Isabella Blow.

• McQueen was a four-time winner of the “British Designer of the Year” Award between 1996 and 2003 and was appointed CBE in 2003 and, in the same year, was named International Designer of the Year at the Council of Fashion Designer Awards. Zandra Rhodes • Zandra Rhodes was born 19 September 1940 in Chatham, Kent • Rhodes has designed for clients as diverse as Diana, Princess of Wales, Jackie Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor and Freddie Mercury • While teaching at an art college in 1968, she opened her first shop the Fulham Road Clothes Shop in Chelsea with fellow designer Sylvia Ayton • In 1977 Rhodes pioneered a pink and black jersey collection with holes and beaded safety pins. The creation earned her the title of "princess of punk" • Zandra founded the Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey in 2003. It serves as a cutting edge centre for contemporary fashion, jewellery and textiles.

The museum is now operated by Newham College Jean Muir • Jean Muir was born in London on 17th July 1928 and died in The London Clinic on 28th May 1995 • Muir was raised in Bedford and attended Dame Alice Harper girls’ school where she first remembers learning to draw, sew and embroider • Making her name in the 1960s, she created a reputation for well tailored, feminine clothing • In 1956 she joined Jaeger where she first encountered knitwear and jersey, both of which would later become her signature fabrics • Due to her Scottish heritage the complete Jean Muir archive was donated to the National Museums Scotland Vivienne Westwood • Westwood was born Vivienne Isabel Swire on 8 April 1941 in the village of Tintwistle, Derbyshire • Westwood first began designing clothes in 1971 with the opening of her shop, Let It Rock, located on the King's Road • In 2006 Vivienne’s contribution to the British fashion industry was recognised by her appointment as Dame Paul Smith • Sir Paul Smith was born in Beeston, Nottinghamshire on 5 July 19

46 • Smith left school at the age of 15 with ambitions of becoming a racing driver.

However, a cycling accident put an end to this dream. It was during his recovery that he started socialising at a local pub popular with art students and decided instead to become a designer • In 1970, Smith opened his first shop at 10 Byard Lane, in his hometown of Nottingham • His collections are usually easily identifiable by the iconic multicolour stripes that appear on items throughout all his collections • Paul has gained a significant international following, particularly in Japan where his designs are coveted. He cites the opening of his shop in Japan as one the proudest moments of his career • Paul Smith still remains fully involved in the business, designing clothes, choosing fabrics, approving the shop locations and overseeing every development within the company Stories from the catwalk - some prêt-à-porter fashion facts • The idea for the stamp issue came from the British Design Classics stamps of 2009, which featured Mary Quant’s iconic mini skirt.

This proved to be one of the most popular of the ten stamps featured in the issue, prompting the decision to dedicate an entire issue to our world-class designers • Each of the ‘Big Four’ fashion weeks is known for championing different styles – New York for sportswear; London for edgy, avant-garde design; Milan for its over-the-top yet stylish looks; and Paris for haute couture • Renowned for its bespoke tailoring, Savile Row was built between 1731 and 1735 and has since been home to some of the world’s most famous tailors including Ede & Ravenscroft and Henry Poole & Co • In 1693 the first ever specialist fashion magazine, ‘Ladies Mercury’ was founded in London by the English publisher and journalist John Delton • The traditional British custom of wearing hats to formal occasions is said to hail back Queen Elizabeth I. In 1571, during her reign, a law was created decreeing that anyone over the age of seven must wear a hat on Sundays • During London Fashion Week 2012, 68 catwalk shows and 37 presentations took place over 6 days • Vintage clothing has become increasingly fashionable over recent years.

An item of clothing is considered vintage if it dates back from 1920 to 1960. Anything after this date should instead be termed retro

Question: Which fashion designer, born 1940 in Chatham, Kent, is well known for her pink hair?
Answer: Zandra Rhodes